The Expressions of Cytokeratin 18 in Chronic Cholecystitis:A Prospective Study

Objective:To observe the expressions of cytoketatin18(CK18) in bile samples and serum samples of chronic cholecystitis patients.Methods:Thirty five(35) patients(27 women and 8 men,aged 55.65±13.48 years) with symptomatic chronic calculous cholecystitis underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy.The patients were divided in two groups:group A included patients with chronic inactive cholecystitis(n = 10),and group B those with chronic active holecystitis(n = 25).The early specific apoptotic tendency(caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18) was studied in these patients with M30 Apoptosense ELISA and the total cytokerarin 18(both derived from apoptosis and necrosis) with M65 ELISA.The ratio M30/M65(caspase-cleaved to total cytokeratin 18) was also computed.Results:The concentrations of caspase-cleaved cytokerarin 18(CK18),and especially those of total CK18,were higher in bile samples than in serum samples.In group B,there were significant differences between serum and bile samples regarding both caspase-cleaved CK18 and total CK18.Cells staining positive for caspase-cleaved CK18 were present in the epithelial cells of the mucosa of the gallbladder.Conclusion:CK18 is expressed in the gallbladder epithelial cells.The concentrations of both caspase-cleaved CK18 and total CK18 were higher in bile samples than in serum samples.The levels of total CK18,as well as caspase-cleaved CK18,do not seem to differ between active and inactive chronic cholecystitis.